I'm on the Ground in Portugal Right Now — Here's What I'm Seeing

I arrived in Portugal last week and I'll be here for most of the summer — attending viewings, meeting with lawyers and notaries, checking in with the builders and tradespeople in my network, and doing the on-the-ground work that you simply cannot do from a laptop in the UK.

What the market looks like right now

The honest truth: the market is active, not frantic. Properties that are correctly priced are moving. Properties that aren't are sitting — sometimes for months — while vendors hold out for a price the market won't support. That gap is where buyers can negotiate, if they know what they're looking at.

What I'm seeing more of this year: UK buyers who are further along in their thinking — they've done the research, they know the areas they're interested in, and they're ready to move. What they need is someone on the ground to vet specific properties and guide them through the process. That's exactly what I do.

Why being here matters

I know this sounds obvious, but I want to say it plainly: there is no substitute for being physically present when you're helping someone buy a property. I'm not sending you a report written from a desk in Worcester. I'm standing in the property. I'm looking at the roof, the walls, the plumbing. I'm asking the estate agent the awkward questions. I'm walking the neighbourhood at different times of day.

I've lost count of the times I've visited a property that looked immaculate online and found serious problems in person — things a seller will never volunteer, things an estate agent who works for the seller has no incentive to tell you.

Limited availability this summer

I work with a small number of clients at a time — by design. If I'm driving you to viewings, attending the notary with you, and managing your purchase end-to-end, I can't be doing that for twenty people simultaneously. This summer I have a handful of slots available for accompanied viewing trips.

If you've been thinking about buying in Portugal and you want someone on the ground to help you do it properly — not just search listings from the UK — now is a good time to talk. I'm already here.

Book a free 30-minute call at jpfaustino.co.uk/booking-calendar/introductory-free-consultation-to-buy-houses-in-portugal — no commitment, just a conversation.